Lubricator



May 26, 19%, R. J Gm; zm zn LUBRICATOR Filed Nov. 7, 1935 Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a lubricator, and, more particularly, to a combined indicator and oil reservoir.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a lubricator having a new and improved oil indicator and supply reservoir.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved lubricator having novel means for automatically supplying oil to a bearing or other mechanism requiring lubrication.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved lubricator having novel means whereby the lubricator may be replenished with oil with a minimum amount of time and labor.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved lubricator having novel means for positioning the oil reservoir above the oil cup after the reservoir has been refilled, without loss of oil or spilling the same over the exterior of the device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved lubricator that is simple in construction, efficient in operation, inexpensive to manufacture and which is not likely to become broken or out-of-repair.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the device;

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modified form of the construction; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a further modified form of the device.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character I designates generally the lubricator which comprises a cup or receptacle II opening upwardly. This receptacle has a stem, shank or attaching member I2 threaded at its outer end, as at I3, for attachment to a bearing to which the device is adapted to be secured.

The attaching member I2 is provided with a passage I4 for conducting oil from the receptacle II to the bearing, or to a chamber in communication with the bearing or to an oil passage leading to the bearing.

The attaching portion I2 is shown as extending laterally from the receptacle II but it is understood it may extend in any direction therefrom, it being necessary only that the receptacle I I be supported in upright position.

The receptacle II is provided with a suitable cap I 5, which, in the form of construction shown, is provided with an internally threaded recess I5 and is hinged, as at H, to suitable projections I8 on the side of the receptacle II adjacent its upper edge. The cap is provided with a depending flange 20 which is adapted to extend downwardly around the upper edge of the receptacle when the cap is closed. This flange is adapted to position a gasket as will presently appear. A gasket I9 may, if desired, be interposed between the receptacle II and the cap I5 5 and is preferably, though not necessarily, secured to one of them, as, for instance, the cap I5.

Suitable means are provided for resiliently holding the cap I5 in closed position. In the form of construction shown, a coil spring 2| l0 wound around the pivot pin 22 of the hinge I! is employed for this purpose. One end of this spring engages the cap and the other the receptacle, and the spring is attached in such a manner that the spring will be wound up with increasing tension when the lid is opened.

A suitable reservoir is provided for containing the oil and supplying it to the receptacle II, from time to time, as required. In order that the level of the oil in the reservoir may be visible, this reservoir is of transparent material, such as glass or the like. In order to detachably connect the reservoir to the cap or closure I5, the reservoir is provided with a reduced portion forming a neck 23 having a laterally extending 25 flange 24 at its lower edge. The reduced end of the reservoir is held within the recess I6 as by a sectional ring or collar 25. This ring is provided with threads which are adapted to engage the internal threads of the cap, and has a flange 26 provided with angular faces, whereby the ring may be turned for engaging the threads.

A gasket is interposed between the lower end of the reservoir and the bottom of the recess inthe cap I5 and a gasket 2'! is also interposed between the lower edge of the retaining ring 25 and the flange 24 of the neck of the reservoir for the purpose of forming an air and oil-tight joint between these parts without undue pressure.

The ring 25 is made in sections in order that the same may be placed in position on the reduced portion 23 of the reservoir preparatory to connecting the reservoir to the cap.

The bottom of the cap I5 is provided with 5 an opening through which extends a pipe 28. The lower end of the pipe 28 extends downwardly into the receptacle II and is cut off at an angle, as at 29, for preventing formation of a bubble on the lower end, thereby preventing the pas- 50 sage of oil from the reservoir into the receptacle. The pointed end also enables the pipe 28 to enter the surface of the oil in the receptacle I'I' without splashing and consequent loss of oil, when the closure I5 is moved by the spring from its open to its closed position. The pipe 28- may, if desired, be integral with the cap I5 or attached in any suitable manner. The cap I5 is provided with an air passage 3| which extends laterally from o the surface of the cap and downwardly into the receptacle l l In the operation of the device, the reservoir 12, after being removed by unscrewing the retaining ring 25, is filled with oil, the cap is then turned to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and the reservoir re-attached to the same. After the reservoir is attached, the cap and'reservoir are released and the spring will return the same to the full-line positions in Fig. I quickly and without the loss of oil. If desired, the reservoir may be filled through the tube 28 by force-feed oilcan or other suitable means by first turning the reservoir to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and after filling the same, it is released and the spring will return it to the full line position in Fig. 1 without loss of oil. While the use of the spring is preferable, it may be omitted under certain conditions. After the reservoir is returned to the upright position, the oil therein will flow into the receptacle until the level of the oil in the receptacle rises above the lower end of the pipe 28 to a point Where it closes the opening through the pipe. The pressure of the air in the receptacle will prevent further movement of the oil from the reservoir. As the oil is used from the receptacle, the level therein will fall, and when it falls below the end of the opening in the pipe 29, a bubble of air will of course enter through the pipe into the reservoir, thereby permitting the oil in the reservoir to flow into the receptacle until the level therein rises above the opening in the lower end of the pipe 29.

The reservoir being of glass, or other transparent material, the attendant can ascertain at a glance when the reservoir should be replenished. The spring 2| is sufficient to hold the cap 15 in closed position, but in some cases excessive vibration may tend to unseat the cap.

.If desired, the cap may be held in lowered position by a stirrup or bail 32 hinged to the cap and adapted to swing beneath the lower end of the receptacle H. The bail may, if desired, be provided with a fastener 33 which may be in the form of a set screw 34 extending through the bail and having a button 35 on its inner end for engaging the lower end of the receptacle. The button 35 may be concave, as at 36, for engaging the corresponding convex surface 31 on the lower portion of the receptacle H, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In order to secure the cap I5 in position after it has been moved iby the spring 2| from the dotted line position in Fig. 1 to the full line position therein, the bail is swung beneath the receptacle H and the screw 33 advanced, causing the button 36 to engage the projection 31 sulficiently to clamp the cap in closed position.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 3 differs from that just described in that a resilient bail 38 is employed. This bail is pivoted to the cap l5 and is adapted to be sprung into a recess formed by the lugs 39 on the lower end of the receptacle H0.

The form of construction shown in Fig. 4 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in that no bail is employed for holding the cap M in closed position upon the receptacle l5. In this form of construction, the lower, or open; end of the receptacle 42 is screw threaded for engaging corresponding internal threads on the cap ll. The means for attaching'the reservoir to the cap shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is preferable to that shown in Fig. 4 for the reason that it is difficult to secure the threaded end of the reservoir in the cap sufficiently to prevent leakage of the oil and the air. Any attempt to force the threaded end of the reservoir into the cap will tend to break the threads, since they are of glass, and, consequently, are friable.

. In all forms of the device, the reservoir is hinged to the receptacle, and since the spring tends to hold the reservoir in upright position, when the reservoir is released after having been moved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, the spring will instantly return the same to upright position without loss of oil or spilling of the same over the exterior of the receptacle.

I claim as my invention:

7 1. In a lubricator, a closure having hinged lugs at one side thereof, a transparent reservoir secured to said closure, said reservoir having a reduced end provided with a flange on its lower portion, a sectional collar engaging the reduced portion of said reservoir, said collar having screw threads on its lower end engaging internal threads in a recess in said closure, a gasket between the bottom of said recess and the lower end of said reduced portion, a gasket between said collar and said flange, and spring means for normally holding said closure in closed position.

2. In a lubricator, a receptacle, a closure for said receptacle, a hinge for connecting said closure to said receptacle, a spring for returning said closure to closed position when releasing the same after it has been opened, a reservoir secured to said closure and opening downwardly, a conduit in communication with said reservoir and extending downwardly into said receptacle, a bail secured to said closure and movable beneath said receptacle and a set screw carried by said bail and engaging beneath said receptacle for clamping said closure on said receptacle.

3. In a lubricating device, a receptacle, a closure for said receptacle'hinged thereto, a reservoir secured to said closure and normally held in an inverted operative position above said receptacle, and means for automatically returning said closure and reservoir to' normal position upon release after being removed to inoperative position.

4. In a lubricator, a receptacle, means for closing said receptacle, said means comprising a reservoir normally inverted but movable with said means to an inoperative position, said means having an extension normally projecting into said receptacle and provided with a passage in communication with said reservoir, and resilient means for returning said reservoir to normal position above said receptacle upon release of said first-named means after the same has been moved to inoperative position.

5. In a lubricating device, an oil receptacle, a closure hinged to said receptacle, means for automatically closing said closure when the same is opened and released, a reservoir secured to and extending upwardly from said closure, a conduit in communication with said reservoir and extending downwardly therefrominto said receptacle, said conduit having a single passage extending longitudinally thereof, the lower end of said conduit being cut away at an angle to provide a pointed lower end for initially piercing the surface of the oil inside thereceptacle to prevent splashing of the oil when the closure is moved from its opento its closed position.

I REMI J. GITS. 

